Schematics claim to show detailed design of Apple's fifth-gen iPad

Posted:
in iPad edited January 2014
A new set of design schematics claimed to be for Apple's fifth-generation iPad show a design akin to the current iPad mini form factor.

iPad


The documents, published by Nowhereelse.fr, show an iPad with a thinner profile than the current fourth-generation model. The unconfirmed drawings also show a next-generation iPad with a reduced width, presumably due to a thinner bezel outside of the 9.7-inch display.

Aside from sporting a larger display, the design appears to be based on the current iPad mini design, complete with rounded off back corners and a new speaker location facing downward rather than backward.

The document allegedly comes from an Apple subcontractor that is using the design to build the rear shell panel for Apple's next iPad.

iPad


The schematics match up with earlier rumored details, leaked parts and third-party cases that have all been claimed to offer a glimpse at what Apple's next iPad will look like. The next-generation model is rumored to be 15 percent thinner and 33 percent lighter than the current fourth-generation model, and is expected to go on sale later this year.

However, it should be noted that leaked schematics have appeared in the past, claiming to show the design of a next-generation Apple product, only for those documents to prove incorrect. Most notably, case maker Hard Candy ordered $50,000 worth of steel moldings in 2011 based on a bogus "teardrop" iPhone design blueprint that was available online.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 36
    froodfrood Posts: 771member


    hmmmm.....


     


    It looks like a tablet.

  • Reply 2 of 36
    blackbookblackbook Posts: 1,361member


    This new design is pretty much what I expect. According to the schematics it looks like the iPad 5 will be as thin as the Mini!


     


    That's definitely an engineering feat (cue in Phil saying, "Can't innovate anymore my ass")!

  • Reply 3 of 36

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post



    MOst notably, case maker Hard Candy ordered $50,000 worth of steel moldings in 2011 based on a bogus "teardrop" iPhone design.


     


    Yes, MOst notably.

  • Reply 4 of 36
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member


    I'm gonna jump ship and upgrade to the 5th gen iPad when it's released. That'll mean I had all 5 generations. This is becoming an addiction. Easily the best product I've ever owned in my life. And that included the iPhone 5, which is no slouch.


     


    7.9 mm mean its exactly the same thickness as the mini. Along with the thinner bezels I'd say 430g to 445g sounds like a good weight guess. I'd be really interested to see how hot this baby will get, and exactly what real world battery life tests are compared to iPad 4.

  • Reply 5 of 36
    charlitunacharlituna Posts: 7,217member
    This is perfectly matches with the rumors and the case designs that it makes me hesitant to believe its true. Too convenient to pass around a rumor and then pass around 'proof'

    A part of me doesn't doubt the basic shape being the same as the mini but due to the larger battery etc I can't buy into the thin part.
  • Reply 6 of 36
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    Does this mean the mini will go retina then? If they can make a full size iPad thin and light like the mini then they should be able to add retina to the mini. Outside of battery life and thickness/weight concerns there's no reason the mini shouldn't be retina. It's a shame there are inferior tablets out there that have better displays than the mini. Hopefully Apple will fix that this year.
  • Reply 7 of 36
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    ireland wrote: »
    I'm gonna jump ship and upgrade to the 5th gen iPad when it's released. That'll mean I had all 5 generations. This is becoming an addiction. Easily the best product I've ever owned in my life. And that included the iPhone 5, which is no slouch.

    7.9 mm mean its exactly the same thickness as the mini. Along with the thinner bezels I'd say 430g to 445g sounds like a good weight guess. I'd be really interested to see how hot this baby will get, and exactly what real world battery life tests are compared to iPad 4.
    If it gets too hot and has worse battery life I doubt it would ever see the light of day. But Bob Mansfield and his technologies group must be working on something. Perhaps this is it.
  • Reply 8 of 36
    dunksdunks Posts: 1,254member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Ireland View Post


    I'm gonna jump ship and upgrade to the 5th gen iPad when it's released. That'll mean I had all 5 generations. This is becoming an addiction. Easily the best product I've ever owned in my life



     


    I can't wait to upgrade also. I love everything about my iPad 3 except the weight.

  • Reply 9 of 36
    rkevwillrkevwill Posts: 224member


    Only thing is, the bezel is useable. I find myself contacting the screen too much on my wife's mini. And you know what touching the screen on a touchscreen can do.

  • Reply 10 of 36
    rkevwill wrote: »
    Only thing is, the bezel is useable. I find myself contacting the screen too much on my wife's mini. And you know what touching the screen on a touchscreen can do.

    There are parts of your wife's mini you should never touch! :)
  • Reply 11 of 36
    dunks wrote: »
    I can't wait to upgrade also. I love everything about my iPad 3 except the weight.

    Ditto. I sometimes rip the smart cover off to keep the carrying weight down. The iPad 2 had a more pleasant weight and thinness. I am looking forward to a smaller iPad 5. Not sure how I'll feel if it looks like a "giant iPad mini"...
  • Reply 12 of 36
    gazoobeegazoobee Posts: 3,754member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by charlituna View Post



    This is perfectly matches with the rumors and the case designs that it makes me hesitant to believe its true. Too convenient to pass around a rumor and then pass around 'proof'



    A part of me doesn't doubt the basic shape being the same as the mini but due to the larger battery etc I can't buy into the thin part.


     


    I would think if it was going to be a fake, that the fakers would make it exactly the same thickness as the mini though, whereas the numbers being passed around make it thicker than that, but still thinner than the old one.  Besides, it's just a few millimetres either way.  Seems believable to me.  


     


    My main concern is the weight anyway.  The main reason people are ditching the full-sized iPad for the mini is the weight.  I'm hoping Apple isn't stupid enough to make the mini a retina if it adds any appreciable weight to the thing.  I will be buying a second hand iPad mini "1.0" if that's the case instead. 

  • Reply 13 of 36
    gazoobeegazoobee Posts: 3,754member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by rkevwill View Post


    Only thing is, the bezel is useable. I find myself contacting the screen too much on my wife's mini. And you know what touching the screen on a touchscreen can do.



     


    Everyone is different though.  I find that I would prefer if the side bezels on the mini were half their current size.  It would make it even easier to pick up and I can't remember ever inadvertently setting off the touch screen at all so far.  

  • Reply 14 of 36

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Rogifan View Post



    Does this mean the mini will go retina then? If they can make a full size iPad thin and light like the mini then they should be able to add retina to the mini. Outside of battery life and thickness/weight concerns there's no reason the mini shouldn't be retina. It's a shame there are inferior tablets out there that have better displays than the mini. Hopefully Apple will fix that this year.


     


    Apple could slap an inferior hi-res display like those inferior tablets but I would rather they wait and get it right.

  • Reply 15 of 36
    sennensennen Posts: 1,472member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by rkevwill View Post


    Only thing is, the bezel is useable. I find myself contacting the screen too much on my wife's mini. And you know what touching the screen on a touchscreen can do.



     


    Not saying this hasn't been an issue for you, however it hasn't once been a problem for my large hands using our iPad mini.

  • Reply 16 of 36
    I'm due for some kind of toy, and if this comes out before the iMac sees a refresh (or possibly 15" MBPr... kinda torn still) I might consider it, iff the mini stays at a low res. If the mini goes retina that would sway me in that direction.

    You may all disagree as much as you like, but I'm not terribly pleased that Apple has started doing refreshes in parallel. If something new were released every few months it would keep Apple on everyone's radar, and each event wouldn't be such a "do or die" debacle.
  • Reply 17 of 36
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member


    This is no surprise. Everybody knows that the iPad 5 will borrow design cues from the iPad Mini.


     


    I currently have an iPad 3 and also an iPad Mini, and I'll be upgrading the iPad 3 to the iPad 5 for sure, I'll still keep the iPad Mini. I won't miss the big bezels one bit, nope. And I'm also not going to complain when I get my iPad 5 and it's both thinner and lighter than the current one that I have, not to mention more powerful.


     


    The iPad Mini does have a great design, and the iPad 5 is going to be a big seller, because it will be the first large 9.7" iPad to be released that features this new design. I also like the all black back on the black iPad Mini. I would like to see the same on an iPad 5. 

  • Reply 18 of 36
    phone-ui-guyphone-ui-guy Posts: 1,019member
    It has a legend showing wifi and 3G. Shouldn't it be 4G for a new one? Or do we really think it won't have LTE?

    Edit: it doesn't have speaker holes.
  • Reply 19 of 36
    macbook promacbook pro Posts: 1,605member
    charlituna wrote: »
    This is perfectly matches with the rumors and the case designs that it makes me hesitant to believe its true. Too convenient to pass around a rumor and then pass around 'proof'

    A part of me doesn't doubt the basic shape being the same as the mini but due to the larger battery etc I can't buy into the thin part.

    I would tend to agree except for Apple's attention to detail and research on battery performance.


    1. Neil Hughes. Published February 17, 2011. Apple looking to increase battery life with dense lithium cells. AppleInsider.

    2. Mickey Campbell, Published May 02, 2013. Apple's research into curved battery technology points to new iOS products designs. AppleInsider
  • Reply 20 of 36
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Edit: it doesn't have speaker holes.

    No data, no camera, no retina, no apps, no speaker, no Wi-Fi, no GPS, no Maps, 4GB, stripped down iOS.

    BUT COLORS. BEST SELLER. :no:
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